Covering machine



Aug. 25, 1936. t s. J. FINN v 2,051,835

. covERING MACHINE- K f Filed Jan. 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet` 1 S LT `Aug. Z5, 1936. s. J. FINN COVERAING `MACHINE Filed Jan, 15, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVERING MACHINE Application January 15, 1934, Serial No. 706,637

35 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of shoes and is illustrated herein as embodied in a machine for covering heels.

In an application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 56,739, led December 30, 1935,

in the name of Lewis J. Bazzoni, there is disclosed a machine for applying a single piece of covering material to the rear and side faces of a heel and for inturning the top, the bottom and the forwardly projecting margins of the cover against the marginal portions of the attaching, the top-lift-receiving and the breast faces of the heel, respectively.

In order to complete the covering of Cuban or l5 Continental heels which have been partially covered in the above-mentioned machine, it is customary for the operator to apply the forwardly projecting margins to the breast of the heel by hand after trimming the margins to a predetermined width, the margins usually being arranged in overlapping relation at the median portion of the heel breast. To insure that the curvature of the breast of the covered heel shall be similar to the curvature of the breast of the uncovered heel and in order to form a covered heel breast which is neat in appearance, it has been proposed to form a butt joint between the forwardly projecting margins of the cover laid upon the heel breast, suitable adhesive being provided to insure that the entire cover remains securely attached to the breast of the heel after its application to the same. It is not commercially practicable for the operator to form a butt joint between the forwardly projecting margins by hand because of the skill required and the great amount of time consumed in making such a joint.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine by the use of which the forwardly projecting margins of a side cover of a Cuban or Continental heel may be economically and eifectively laid upon the breast of a heel and butted together as above described. With the above object in View and in accordance with a feature of this invention, there is provided means constructed and arranged to apply portions of cover margins to a work piece and to force other portions of said margins together, and trimming means for forming a butt joint between the portions of the margins applied to the work piece.

The means for applying the cover margins to the work piece comprises a pair of relatively movable wipers, and the trimming means comprises a pair of relatively movable cutters which are constructed and arranged for engagement 55 with each other. The wipers are normally positioned in front of the cutting edges of the respective cutters which trim the sole by a nipping action and may be referred to as nippers, each of the wipers, together with a corresponding nipper, being mounted for swinging movement 5 toward and away from the other wiper and nipper in a path disposed substantially parallel to the breast of a heel which has been positioned and clamped in the machine by the use of suitable mechanism. The wipers progressively apply the l0 forwardly projecting margins of the cover to the breast of the heel as they approach the heightwise median line of the breast, surplus end portions of the projecting margins being forced against each other by the wipers to form an upstanding rib. As the wipers form the rib, the nippers which heretofore have been slightly spaced from the cover laid upon the breast of a heel move toward the heel as they swing toward each other and force the cover against the breast as they trim the rib flush with the covered breast and thus form between the margins a neat appearing butt joint which extends heightwise of the heel along its median portion. In order to move the wipers out of the Way of the nippers l after forming the rib, the wipers are yieldingly movable away from the heel under pressure of the nippers. By providing the above construction and arrangement of parts, the forwardly projecting margins of a side cover secured to the rear and side faces of a heel may be quickly and effectively applied to the breast of a heel and trimmed to form a butt joint.

These and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be described as embodied in an illustrated machine and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, A

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the illus- 40 trated covering machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional-view taken along line IL-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of Fig. 1, and illustrating mechanism for 45 raising or lowering cover-trimming cutters with respect to a heel positioned and clamped in the machine;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are illustrative views showing the machine to which a heel is presented during three successive stages of the heel-covering operation;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a partially covered heel which is to be operated on bythe illustrated machine;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the heel illustrated in Fig. 7 after being operated upon by the illustrated machine; and

Fig. 9 is a detail view showing modified trimming mechanism.

The illustrated machine is described with reference to the covering of a wood heel 2U to the rear and side faces of which a cover 22 has been applied by the use of a heel-covering machine such, for example, as that disclosed in the abovementioned United States application Serial No. 58,739. It will be noted that the top, the bottom, and the forwardly projecting margins 24, 26 and 28 of the cover, which may be made of leather, fabric or Celluloid, have already been inturned upon the edge portions ofthe attaching, the top-lift receiving, and the breast faces 30 (Fig. 2), 82 (Figs. 7 and 8) and 34 (Fig.4 '7), respectively, of the heel by the above-identified machine.

The illustrated machine is constructed and arranged to lay the forwardly projecting margins 28 upon the breast ofy the heel and to form a butt joint 38 (Fig. 8) which extends heightwise of the heel along the median portion of its breast. The breast of the heel has been previously coated with rubber cement, it being customary in applying a leather or fabric cover to the heel also to coat the inside surface of the cover with cement. When a Celluloid cover isV applied to the heel, the margins 28 of the same are still in the softened condition in which they arevmolded to the rear and side faces of the heel.'

The machine is provided with a pair of cutters or nippers 38 which are mounted for swinging movement toward and away from each other upon a cylindrical bearing 48 which is secured within a block i2 (Figs. 1 and 3) provided with an oifset guide portion 48 (Fig. l) mounted in a slideway 46 of the machine frame. The block 42 is raised and lowered so as to raise and lower the grippers at proper times by the operation of a cam 4S (Figs. 1 and 3) which is pivotally mounted in the main frame and the construction and operation of which will be described later.

Positioned in front of the respective cutting edges 58 (Fig. 4) of the nippers 38 are a pair of wipers 52, each of which has the general form of a U-shaped rod (Fig. l), the legs of which are secured respectively within shafts 54 which pass through recesses in pairs of links 56, 56 (Fig. 1) pivotally mounted upon the shaft 48. The links 56, 58are normally forced into engagement with studs 58, respectively, secured to the nippers 38, by springs 60, the upper ends of which encircle studs 12 carried by collars T4 screwed to corresponding shafts 54, and the lower ends of which are connected to studs 'I6 which are secured to the nippers 38.

During most of the covering operation, the wipers 52 are positioned in front of the cutting edges 58 of the nippers 38, since the springs 68 normally urge the wiper-carrying links 56 against the studs 58. The nippers 38 are of considerable length and have their upper ends pivotally connected to arms 18, the upper ends of which are pivotally mounted upon a cylindrical bearing 80 which is carried by a collar 82 and is secured to a slide 84 (Fig. l) mounted for movement in a vertical path along a guideway 86 of the machine frame.

As the cylindrical bearing 82 is lowered and raised, the nippers 38, together with their corresponding wipers 52, are moved toward and away from each other, the operating mehanism forming in effect a toggle which is operated by a lever 88 pivotally mounted upon a shaft 98 supported by the main frame and havingits upper forward end connected by a link 92 to the collar 82. The lever 88 normally holds the nippers 38 in an open position ready to start the covering operation through the provision of a spring 94 one end of which is connected to the lever and the other end of ,which is secured to the machine frame.

In operating upon the heel which is positioned and clamped in the machine by mechanism which will be described later, it is desirable to move the wipers 52, which progressively apply the margins 28 toward the heightwise median line of the breast of the heel, away from the heel as they oppose each other and include between them an up- 'standing rib 98 (Figs. 5 and 6) comprising surplus end portions of the margins 28. The nippers 38 are provided with upper surfaces 98 (Fig. 4) constructed and arranged to force the wipers 52 away from the heel after the rib 96 has been formed, the arrangement being such that the wipers 52, opposing each other to form the rib, are raised while the nippers 38 are moved toward each other to trim the rib 96 ush with the outside surface of the cover laid upon the breast of the heel. The springsl are of suitable strength to insure that the wipers 52 are forced toward each other with a slight amount of pressure as the nippers 38 continue their movement toward each other to trim the rib.

The nippers 38 are spaced from the breast of the heel during most of their travel but are lowered against the breast when they arrive at positions located near the median line of the breast. The nippers 38 thusV serve to wipe the margins 28 against the breast of the heel as they sever the rib 86 and form the butt joint 36. In order to lower the nippers 38 the cam 88 which, as above stated, supports the cylindrical bearing 48 is provided with a lower face |88 (Fig. 3) which just prior to the rib-trimming operation is swung about a bearing l E32 into engagement with a bearing member |64 carried by the block 42. The bearing member E84 is normally in riding engagement with the upper face 66 of the cam 88 to insure that the nippers 38 are slightly spaced from the b-reast of the heel, as shown in Fig. 4. Movement of the cam 48 is effected by a link |88 the lower portion of which is pivotally connected to the cam and the upper' portion of which is connected to a rearward extension H8 of the slide 84 which is mounted for vertical movement with the cylindrical bearing 88.

The heel may be quickly and effectively positioned in the machine by gages l l2, H4. The gage l l2 is bifurcated as viewed from above (Fig. 2) and is shaped and arranged for engagement with the breast 34 and attaching face 38 of the heel, the gage H4 also being bifurcated and shaped and arranged for engagement with the breast 38 and the top-lift receiving face 32 of the heel. When the heel has been positioned in the machine it is held therein by turning a hand screw H6 provided with a flange H8 which engages Within a notch of a plunger l2@ to force the plunger against the top lift receiving face 30 of the heel and thus to force the attaching face of the Vheel against a pair of prongs i 22 (Fig. 2) formed upon an abutment E24 carried by the main frame.

To prevent the wipers 52 from engaging the gages H2, H4 during the covering operation the gages are mounted for sliding movement in the machine frame and automatically move away from the heel as the wipers 52 move toward each other. Such movement is effected by providing a pair of arms |26, |28 (Fig. l) which are pivotally secured to the gages II2 and |I4, respectively. The arms |26, |28 are pivotally connected to links |36 and |38, respectively, the inner ends of which are pivotally connected to a lever |34. The arm |26 is connected-to a link |40 the upper portion of which is provided with a slot |42 shaped for the reception of a screw |44 carried by the rearwardly projecting portion I I8 of the slide 84, the arrangement being such that when the slide arrives near the upper end of its stroke the link |40 is raised to move the arm |26 in a clockwise direction and to move the arm |28 through the above-described mechanism in a counterclockwise direction. When the machine operating lever 88 is moved in a counterclockwise direction the wipers 52 and the nippers 38 move toward each other. As the slide 84 and the rearward extension IIIl thereof move downwardly the arms |28 and |28 under pressure of a spring |46 swing in counterclockwise and clockwise directions, respectively, to move the gages I I2 and I I4 away from each other and away from the heel.

In order initially to space the gages II2 and |I4 for positioning heels of different heights in the machine, the gage II4 may be adjusted relatively to the arm |28. Such adjustment may be readily effected through the provision of a clamp bolt |48 which passes through slots |56 (Fig. 1) and |52 formed in the gage II4 and the arm |28 respectively, and is in threaded relation with a thumb nut |54 having a reduced portion which ts within the slot |52 of the arm |28. Mounted upon the bolt |48 and positioned between the gage II4 and the thumb nut |54 is a sleeve |56 (Fig. 2) which upon turning the nut may be forced against the gage I|4 thereby binding the nut and the gage together and thus causing the gage I I4 to be reciprocated with the arm |28.

The operation of the machine will now be described. The heel is positioned in the machine by the gages I|2 and II4 as illustrated in Fig. l the plunger |23 moving the heel against the abutment |24 as the operator turns the hand Wheel IIS. The lever 88 is then turned in a clockwise direction to cause corresponding pairs of wipers 52 and nippers 38, which are normally in spaced relation, to move toward each other. When the wipers 52 have included between them the rib 86 (Fig. 4) continued movement of the nippers 38 to trim the rib causes the wipers 52 to pivot about the cylindrical bearing 40 and also to swing about the axes of the shafts 54. As the wipers 52 are forced away from the heel breast under pressure of the nippers 38, the nippers are moved toward the heel breast to cause the nippers, which heretofore have been out of engagement with the heel breast, to force the margins 38 against the breast during the remaining portion of the operation. When the margins 38 have been laid and trimmed, the operator releases the lever 88 to permit the wipers 52 and the nippers 38 to swing to an open position under pressure of the spring S4. The covered heel is then removed from the machine by turning the hand wheel I6.

Each of the nippers illustrated in Fig. 9 is made in two parts and includes a carrier portion or lever |58 and a cutting portion |66 which may be readily secured to and removed from the carrier portion |58 through the provision of a screw |62. l

Although this invention has been illustrated with reference to the covering of heels, it will be understood that such invention contemplates the application of covers to other work pieces.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A covering machine having, in combination, a pair of relatively movable wipers for applying a ilexible cover progressively to a surface of a work piece, a pair of relatively movable cutters constructed and arranged to trim surplus portions of the cover flush with the outside face of the cover laid upon said surface, and means for importing relative movement of operation to said wipers and said cutters.

2. A covering machine having, in combination, a pair of members one of which is movable relatively to the other to apply a flexible cover progressively to a surface of a work piece and to force the cover into engagement with the other member, a pair of cutters one of which is movable with said movable member and is constructed and arranged to trim an upstanding portion of the cover flush with the outside face oi the cover laid upon said surface, and means for moving said member and said cutter.

3. A covering machine having, in combination, a pair of movable members constructed and ar ranged to wipe margins of a cover progressivelyl against a surface of a heel and movable into opposing relation to form a cover rib which extends away from said surface, and a pair o1" cutters mounted for movement into abutting relation to trim the rib flushwith the outside face of the cover laid upon said surface, and means for operating the members and the cutters.

4. A covering machine having, in combination, a pair of wipers constructed and arranged to apply the forwardly projecting margins of a side cover secured to a heel progressively to the breast of the heel and to force said margins together in the form of an upstanding rib, and a pair of cutters positioned at opposite sides of the rib respectively and mounted for movement to trim the rib thereby to form a butt joint between the margins applied to the breast of the heel.

5. A covering machine having, in combination, wipers movable toward each other for progressively applying cover margins respectively to a surface of a work piece and for pressing together surplus end portions of said margins, cutters for trimming said surplus portions ush with the outside face of the cover laid upon said surv face, and means for operating the wipers and the cutters.

6. A covering machine having, in combination,

wipers for applying cover margins progressively to a heel, cutters constructed and arranged to trim the margins and to form a butt joint between the same, and means for operating the wipers and the cutters, said cutters being constructed and arranged to. force portions of the margins which are-located adjacent to the butt joint against the heel. p

8. A cover trimming machine having, in combination, a pair of units mounted for movement toward and away from each other, each of said units comprising a cutter provided with a cutting edge and a wiper positioned in front of said cutting edge, and means for moving the units toward each other to cause the wipers to apply cover margins to a surface of a heel and to cause the cutters to form a butt joint between the portions of the margins which have been applied to the heel, said wipers being mounted for movement in directions disposed substantially at right angles to the general direction of wiping movement in order to permit the cutters to engage each other.

9. A trimming machine having, in combination, a support, a pair of levers mounted for pivotal movement upon the support, a cutter secured to each of the levers, means for swinging the levers about said support to cause the cutters to engage each other, a wiper positioned in front of each of the cutters and mounted for movement therewith, anda cam for moving the support during the operation of the levers.

10. A trimming machine having, in combination, a support, a pair of levers mounted for pivotal movement upon the support, a cutter secured to each of the levers, means for swinging the levers about said support .to cause the cutters to engage each other, aI wiper positioned in front of each of the cutters and mounted for movement therewith, said wiper being yieldingly movable relatively to the cutter, and a cam for moving the support during the rotation of said levers.

11. A covering machine having, in comb-ination, a cutter, a wiper positioned in front of the cutter, and means for moving the cutter and the wiper as a unit in a pivotal path extending substantially parallel to a surface of a work piece for applying a cover to said surface, said wiper being mounted for yielding movement relatively to the cutter.

12. A covering machine having, in combination, a support, a pair of wipers and a pair of nippers mounted for movement upon the support, means for operating corresponding pairs of wipers and nippers relatively to the support, and cam operated means for moving the support.

13. A covering machine having, in combination, a cutter, a wip-er positioned in front of the cutter, and means for moving the cutter and the wiper as a unit in a predetermined path to apply a cover to a surface of a work piece, said wiper being mounted for yielding movement about two axes under pressure of the cutter.

14. A covering machine having, in combination, a cutter, a wiper positioned in front of the cutter, means for moving the cutter and the wiper as a unit in a path extending substantially parallel to a surface of a positioned work piece to apply a cover to said surface, said wiper being mounted for yielding movement relatively to the cutter, and means for moving the wiper in a direction disposed at a substantial angle to said path to force the cutter against a portion of the cover applied to said surface.

15. A covering machine having, in combination, means for positioning and clamping a heel, a pair of members, one of which is movable relatively to the other to apply a flexible cover progressively to a work piece and then to force the cover against the other member thereby to form an upstanding portion thereof, a pair of cutters, one of which is mounted for movement with said movable member, constructed and arranged to trim the upstanding portion of the cover, and means for moving said member and said cutter.

16. A covering machine having, in combination, gages constructed and arranged to position a heel, abutments for clamping the heel, a pair of pivotally mounted wipers for applying forwardly projecting margins of a side cover attached to the heel progressively to the breast of the heel, a pair of nippers mounted for movement with the respective wipers for trimming the end portions of said margins and for forming a butt joint between the same, means for operating the wipers and the nippers, mechanism for withdrawing the gages from engagement with the heel in order to move the same away from the path of movement of the nippers, and means for moving the nippers toward the heel prior to trimming the margins thereby to insure that the cover in the vicinity of the butt joint is forced with considerable pressure against the heel during the formation of the joint.

1'7. A covering machine having, in combination, a pair of nippers, a toggle for operating said nippers, and a pair of wipers mounted for movement with the respective nippers and yieldingly movable under pressure relatively thereto.

18. A covering machine having, in combination, a pair of wipers, a pair of nippers, means for operating the nippers, and resilient means for constraining the wipers for movement with the nippers during a portion of the movement of said nippers, said wipers being mounted for movement relatively to the nippers about two axes during another portion of the movement of said nippers.

19. A covering machine having, in combination, a pair of wipers, a pair of nippers, means for swinging the wipers together with their respective nippers in predetermined paths to apply covers to a work piece and to form a butt joint between said covers, and means for moving the nippers in paths disposed at substantial angles to the first-named paths for causing the nippers to force thecovers against the Work piece during the formation of the butt joint, said wipers being mounted for yielding movement relatively to the nippers.

20. A covering machine having, in combination, a pair of nippers, a pair of wipers positioned in front of the respective nippers, means for swinging the wipers together with their respective nippers in predetermined paths to apply covers to a work piece and to form a butt joint between the covers, and means for moving the wipers and nippers in paths disposed at substantial angles to the first-named paths to facilitate the forma tion of the butt joint, said wipers being mounted for movement relatively to their respective nippers about two axes under operating pressure of the nippers preparatory to forming the butt joint.

21. A covering machine having, in combination, means for supporting a heel, a pair of wipers, a pair of nippers, means for moving corresponding pairs of wipers and nippers in paths disposed substantially parallel to a surface of a work piece to which covers are to be applied, and means for moving the wipers and the nippers toward and away from the work piece, said wipers being yieldingly mounted relatively to the nippers.

22. A covering machine having, in combination,

means for supporting and positioning a work piece to a surface of which flexible covering material is to be applied, a pair of wipers, a pair of nippers, means for moving `corresponding pairs of wipers and nippers about an axis in paths disposed substantially parallel to said surface, and means for moving said axis .toward and away from said surface, said wipers being mounted for yielding movement relatively to the nippers.

23. A covering machine having, in combination, means for positioning and supporting .a work piece to a surface of which flexible covering material is to be applied, a pair of wipers, a pair of nippers,r means for moving corresponding pairs of wipers and nippers about an axis in paths disposed substantially parallel to a surface of the work piece, and means for moving said axis relatively to the work piece, said wipers being mounted for yielding movement about said axis and also about another axis under pressure of the respective nippers.

24, A covering machine having, in combination, a support for a heel, a pair of pivotally mounted wipers for applying forwardly projecting margins of a side cover` of the heel progressively to the breast of the heel, a pair of nippers mounted for movement with the respective wipers for trimming the end portions of said margins and for forming a butt joint between the same, means for operating said wipers and said nippers, and mechanism for moving the nippers toward the heel prior to moving the nippers into contact with each other thereby to insure that the cover in the vicinity of the butt joint is forced with considerable pressure against the heel.

25. A covering machine having, in combination, a support for a heel, means for positioning the heel upon the support, a pair of pivotally mounted wipers constructed and arranged to lay the forwardly projecting margins of a side cover of the heel progressively upon the breast of the heel and to cause surplus end portions of the margins to extend from the breast in the form of a rib, and a pair of pivotally mounted nippers constructed and arranged to trim the rib ush with the outside face of the cover upon the heel and to form a butt joint between the margins.

26. A covering machine having, in combination, a support for a heel, means for positioning the heel upon the support, a pair of pivotally mounted wipers constructed and arranged to lay forwardly projecting margins of a side cover of the heel progressively upon the breast of the heel and to cause surplus end portions of the margins to extend away from the b-reast in the form of a rib, a pair of nippers mounted for pivotal movement with the respective wipers and constructed and arranged to trim the rib flush with the outside face of the cover and thereby to form a butt joint between the margins, and means for forcing the cutters toward the heel as they approach the rib to cause the nippers to press the cover against the heel prior to and during the formation of the butt joint.

27. A covering machine having, in combination, a support for a heel, means for positioning the heel upon the support, a pair of pivotally mounted wipers constructed and arranged to lay the forwardly projecting margins of a side cover of a heel progressively upon the breast of the heel and to cause surplus end portions of the margins to extend away from the breast in the form of a rib, a pair of pivotally mounted nippers constructed and arranged to trim the rib ush with the outside face of the cover upon the breast thereby to form a'butt joint between the margins, and means for moving the nippers as a unit toward the-heel to press the cover against the heel-prior to and during the formation of the butt joint, said wipers being constructed and arranged for movement away fromthe heel under. operating .pressure of the nippers preparatory to trimming said rib.

Y 28. A covering machine having, in combina;- tion, means for positioning :and clamping a heel provided'with a side cover the forward margins of which project beyond thebreast of the heel, a pair of levers arranged at opposite sides respectively `of the heightwise median plane of the heel and mounted for swinging movement toward and away from said plane, wipers movable with thev respective llevers and constructed and arranged to- 'lay the cover margins progressively toward said plane and to Yinclude between them surplus end portions of the 'margin thereby to form an upstanding rib, and cutters movable into engagement with each otherto trim the rib and to form abutt joint between said cover margin, said wipers being mounted for movement relatively to their respective levers to permit them to swing away from the heel.

29.". A covering .machine having', in combination, means for positioning and clamping a heel provided with a side cover the forward margins of which project beyond the breast of the heel, a pair of levers arranged at opposite sides of the heightwise median plane of the heel and mounted for swinging movement toward and away from said plane, wipers movable with the levers respectively and constructed and arranged to lay the cover margins progressively toward said plane and to force together surplus end portions of the margin thereby to form an upstanding rib, and nippers carried by said levers and constructed and arranged to trim the rib flush with the outside face of the cover upon the breast of the heel and to form a butt joint between the margins.

30. A covering machine having, in combination, means for positioning and clamping a heel provided with a side cover the forward margins of which project beyond the breast of the heel, a pair of levers arranged at opposite sides of the heightwise median plane of the heel and mounted for movement toward and away from said plane, wipers movable with the levers respectively and constructed and arranged to lay the cover margins progressively upon the breast of the heel and to include between them surplus end portions of the margin thereby to form an upstanding rib, cutters movable with the levers to trim the rib and to form a butt joint between the margins, said wipers being mounted for movement upon their respective levers to permit them to swing away from the heel and said cutters being provided with surfaces shaped and arranged to force the respective wipers away from the heel, resilient means for normally urging the wipers toward the heel, and means for operating the levers.

3l. A covering machine having, in combination, gages each of which comprises a face constructed and arranged for engagement with the breast of a heel, a clamp for securing the heel against movement, a pair of members constructed and arranged to wipe forwardly projecting margins respectively of the side cover of the heel progressively upon the breast of the heel and into engagement with each other to form an upstanding rib, a pair of cutters mounted for movement into abutting relation to trim the rib ush with the outside face of the cover laid upon the breast of the heel, means for withdrawing the gages from engagement with the breast of the heel to permit the members and the cutters to move over said breast, and means for operating the members and the cutters.

32. A covering machine having, in combination, a gage constructed and arranged for engagement with the breast and attaching faces of a heel the forward margins of the side cover of which project beyond the heel, a gage constructed and arranged for engagement with the breast and top lift-receiving faces of the heel, a clamp for securing the positioned heel against movement, a pair of movable members constructed and arranged to wipe the forwardly projecting margins of the cover progressively upon the breast of the heel and into engagement with each other thereby to form an upstanding rib, a pair of cutters constructed and arranged to trim the rib flush with the outside face of the cover laid upon the breast of the heel, means for withdrawing the gages from engagement with the heel to permit the members and the cutters to move over the breast of the heel, means for initially adjusting one of the gages relatively to the other in accordance with the height of the heel, and means for operating the members and the cutters.

33. In a covering machine, mechanism for applying a portion of a cover to a work piece and for causing a margin of the cover to extend away from the work piece, and trimming means for severing said margin adjacent to the laid portion of the cover.

34. In a covering machine, means constructed and arranged to apply portions of cover margins to a work piece and to force other portions of said margins together, and trimming means for forming a butt joint between the portions of the margins applied to the work piece.

35. In a covering machine, pivotally mounted members constructed and arranged to apply forwardly projecting portions of a cover secured to a heel upon the breast of the heel, and means constructed and arranged to trim the margins of said projecting portion and to form a butt joint between parts of the projecting portions which have been laid upon the 25 breast of the heel.

SIDNEY J. FINN. 

